An old saying in Zen -- or perhaps in all of Buddhism for all I know -- suggests
Do not do as the master did. Know what the master knew.
What's your view of such a suggestion?
do not do...
Re: do not do...
To me it points to the role of understanding as part of the kamma that we create. And then, of course, the cessation of kamma should be known.
Rain soddens what is kept wrapped up,
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
But never soddens what is open;
Uncover, then, what is concealed,
Lest it be soddened by the rain.
Re: do not do...
I dont know if this distinction matters Adam, but I dont think that there is a Theravada view of the master which is analogous to the Zen view of the master.. Which means that the queston possibly addresses a non-issue in terms of the Theravada ? Or at least a different set of issues. Possibly.
Re: do not do...
You're probably right, Peter. Actually, Buddhism strikes me as just one possibility. In life, I imagine people choose all sorts of masters, all sorts of gods, all sorts of beliefs ... and the suggestion strikes me as useful, assuming anyone wanted to lead his or her own life.PeterB wrote:I dont know if this distinction matters Adam, but I dont think that there is a Theravada view of the master which is analogous to the Zen view of the master.. Which means that the queston possibly addresses a non-issue in terms of the Theravada ? Or at least a different set of issues. Possibly.
- pink_trike
- Posts: 1130
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:29 am
- Contact:
Re: do not do...
Everyone's Dharma path is necessarily unique, but all Dharma leads to the same recognition. Doesn't matter how someone else got across the river, what matters is what they discovered along the way and on the other side.
Vision is Mind
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss
- Dawa Gyaltsen
---
Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
Mind is Empty
Emptiness is Clear Light
Clear Light is Union
Union is Great Bliss
- Dawa Gyaltsen
---
Disclaimer: I'm a non-religious practitioner of Theravada, Mahayana/Vajrayana, and Tibetan Bon Dzogchen mind-training.
Re: do not do...
pink_trike wrote:Everyone's Dharma path is necessarily unique, but all Dharma leads to the same recognition. Doesn't matter how someone else got across the river, what matters is what they discovered along the way and on the other side.
Indeed.
- appicchato
- Posts: 1602
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:47 am
- Location: Bridge on the River Kwae
Re: do not do...
If we knew what the master knew we'd be doing what the master did...genkaku wrote:Do not do as the master did. Know what the master knew.
- retrofuturist
- Posts: 27848
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:52 pm
- Location: Melbourne, Australia
- Contact:
Re: do not do...
Greetings bhante,
Sadhu!
Metta,
Retro.
Sadhu!
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
- Ngawang Drolma.
- Posts: 805
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 7:38 pm
Re: do not do...
pink_trike wrote:Everyone's Dharma path is necessarily unique, but all Dharma leads to the same recognition. Doesn't matter how someone else got across the river, what matters is what they discovered along the way and on the other side.